1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to bail-tripping devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to spinning-reel bail-tripping devices that return a bail arm that is pivotally mounted from a line-releasing posture to a line-retrieving posture as the rotor, which is rotatably mounted in the reel unit of spinning reel, is rotated in the line-retrieving direction.
2. Background Information
In general, a spinning-reel rotor is furnished with a bail arm for guiding fishing line onto the spool. The bail arm can assume a line-retrieving posture, in which the bail arm guides the fishing line onto the spool outer periphery when the fishing line is retrieved, and a line-releasing posture, in which the bail arm is flipped over from the line-retrieving position so that the bail arm does not get in the way when the fishing line is reeled out from the spool. The rotor is provided with a bail-tripping device for sustaining the bail arm in one of the line-retrieving posture and the line-releasing posture, and for restoring the bail arm from the line-releasing posture to the line-retrieving posture as the rotor rotates in the line-retrieving direction.
As a conventional bail-tripping device, the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-4839 is known. This bail-tripping device includes: a toggle spring, fitted to the rotor, with the fore end of the toggle spring being interlocked with the bail arm in vicinity of the pivotal center of the bail arm; a shifting member having the fore end that is interlocked with the bail arm in the vicinity of the pivotal center of the bail arm, and the base that shifts to and fro toward the reel unit; and a switching protrusion furnished on the reel unit to come into contact with the shifting member. The toggle spring toggles the bail arm between two postures, and urging and retaining the bail arm in either of the two postures. The toggle spring has a coil spring accommodated in a recess formed in one of the rotor""s rotor arms, and a linking component urged by the coil spring. The linking component includes a shaft member pressed upon by the coli spring, and a link fitted to the fore end of the shaft member so as to be pivotable up to a predetermined extent. The fore end of the linking component is interlocked with the bail arm nearby the pivotal center of the bail arm.
When the bail arm is pivoted into the line-releasing posture in the bail-tripping device having this sort of configuration, the shifting member retracts into a position in which the shifting member comes into contact with the switching protrusion. In this situation in the toggle spring, the shaft member is retracted while the linking component pivots until passing the dead point. When the linking component passes the dead point, the shaft member urged by the coil spring is advanced. Then, when the rotor rotates in the line-retrieving direction, the shifting member is brought into contact with the switching protrusion and advances. The advancing of the shifting member pivots the linking component and meanwhile retracts the shaft member until the linking component passes the dead point. Then, when the linking component passes the dead point, the linking component advances, restoring the bail arm into the line-retrieving posture.
When fishing line is reeled out by casting a spinning reel in this manner, reverse rotation of the rotor is blocked; and after catching the fishing line with the thick of the index finger, the bail arm is tripped into the line-releasing posture. In this situation, the rotor is turned to bring the line roller along the fishing rod, so that the fishing line may be grasped readily. Then, in the course of flinging down the fishing rod, the index finger is released from the fishing line, and the tackle""s arrival on the water is awaited. At the point the tackle has sunk suitably after arriving on the water, the handle is worked slightly in the reel-in direction to return the bail arm into the line-retrieving position by means of the bail-tripping device.
In the aforementioned conventional configuration, when the toggle spring urges the bail arm, the shaft member does not pivot; only the link pivots with respect to the shaft member. This means that the direction in which the coil spring urges, and the direction in which the linking component presses on the bail arm are different. The power transmitted from the shaft member to the bail arm via the linking component is consequently lessened by what the pivoting angle of the linking component is, which weakens the power with which the toggle spring retains the bail arm in the line-retrieving and the line-releasing postures. Where the toggle spring""s retaining power is weakened in this way, the bail arm that has been put into the line-releasing posture during casting could be flipped over into the line-retrieving posture due to inertial force during the casting. If the spring force of the toggle spring is strengthened in order to prevent this, it will weigh on the handle in rotating the rotor in the line-retrieving direction. As a result, the bail arm will be sluggish in returning from the line-releasing posture into the line-retrieving posture.
In view of the above, there exists a need for spinning-reel bail-tripping device which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
A purpose of the present invention is to provide a spinning-reel bail-tripping device in which the bail arm can be securely retained in the line-releasing posture, and the bail arm can return from the line-releasing posture into the line-retrieving posture easily.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention is a device for returning a bail arm from the line-releasing to the line-retrieving posture as a rotor rotates in the line-retrieving direction. The bail arm is mounted on the rotor so as to be pivotable between line-retrieving and line-releasing postures. The bail-tripping device is furnished with a shifting member, a toggle-spring mechanism, a switching portion, and a restraining means. The shifting member, furnished on the rotor, is a component whose fore end is interlocked with the bail arm, and whose rear end is shiftable at least front-to-rear between a first position and a second position, in cooperation with the pivoting of the bail arm. The first position is parted away from the reel body and corresponds to the line-retrieving posture. The second position is adjoining the reel body and corresponds to the line-releasing posture. The toggle-spring mechanism, whose fore end is rotatably interlocked with the bail arm in a position different from the bail arm""s shifting-member interlocking position, is a device for urging toggling the bail arm to between the line-retrieving and line-releasing postures. The switching portion is provided on a front portion of the reel body and has a first inclined face whose end downstream in the rotor line-retrieving rotational direction projects more from a front face of the reel body than its upstream end. The switching portion is for shifting the shifting member beyond the dead point of the toggle-spring mechanism and toward the first position by the first inclined face coming into contact with the rear end of the shifting member that is in the second position when the rotor is rotated in the line-retrieving direction. The restraining means is furnished in between the bail arm and the rotor, and is a means for restraining the bail arm from returning into the line-retrieving posture when the bail arm is disposed in the line-releasing posture. The restraining means is also for releasing the restraint before the rear end of the shifting member reaches the peak edge of the first inclined face by the rotor rotating in the line-retrieving direction with the bail arm disposed in the line-releasing posture.
When the bail arm flips from the line-retrieving posture to the line-releasing posture in this bail-tripping device, the rear end of the shifting member shifts into the second position. In that situation, the toggle-spring mechanism, once having been compressed up to the dead point, thereafter extends and urges the bail arm into the line-releasing posture. When the bail arm is situated in the line-releasing posture it is restrained against returning to the line-retrieving posture. As a result, when casting with the bail arm in the line-releasing posture, the bail arm is not liable to flip back toward the line-retrieving posture. In this state, when the rotor rotates in the line-retrieving direction, the rear end of the shifting member being shifted into the second position comes into contact with the first inclined face on the switching portion. Then, the rear end shifts gradually toward the peak edge, which presses the shifting member into the first position and presses the bail arm into the line-retrieving posture. In the midst of this shifting, restraint by the restraining means is released before the fore end of the shifting member reaches the peak edge of the first inclined face. Then, when the toggle-spring mechanism passes the toggle-spring mechanism""s dead point, the toggle-spring extends, pressing the bail arm into the line-retrieving posture. Meanwhile, the bail arm is pressed upon by the switching portion until the peak edge is reached. Consequently, with its restraint off, the bail arm is tripped into the line-releasing posture and retained in that posture. Herein, when in the line-releasing posture, the bail arm is restrained by the restraining means and is not liable to return to the line-retrieving posture. Accordingly, the bail arm is securely retained in the line-releasing posture. Likewise, since the restraint from the restraining means is released before the peak edge of the pressing-force-producing first inclined face is reached during the sweep to the line-retrieving posture, the spring force of the toggle spring does not have to be strong. Accordingly, allows the bail arm to return more readily to the line-retrieving posture.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the second aspect of the invention is the device set forth in the first aspect, wherein the restraining means releases the restraint before the toggle-spring mechanism goes beyond the dead point, as the bail arm pivots into the line-retrieving posture. In this case, the restraint is released before the toggle-spring goes beyond the dead point. Accordingly, during a casting, the bail arm pivots toward the line-releasing posture under inertial force and is restrained by the restraining means, which stops the pivoting. As a result, the bail arm is returned to the line-releasing posture by the toggle-spring mechanism.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the third aspect of the invention is the device set forth in the first or second aspect, wherein the fore end of the shifting member is bent toward the vicinity of the bail-arm pivotal center so as to parallel its pivotal axis, and the rear end thereof is bent toward the rotor""s rotational axis. The intermediate portion therebetween is a part disposed paralleling the rotor""s rotational axis. The intermediate portion is interlocked with the rotor so as to be shiftable front-to-rear. The fore end is interlocked into an engagement recess formed in the bail arm so as to be pivotable in the bail-arm pivoting direction. In this case, when the bail arm pivots, the fore end of the shifting member interlocked with the engagement recess turns about the pivotal center. The intermediate portion of the shifting member thereby reciprocates, interlocked with the rotor. Herein, just by interlocking the bent-formed fore end of the shifting member with the engagement recess in the bail arm, and by shiftably interlocking the intermediate portion, the pivoting movement of the bail arm is converted in a simple manner into the front and rear linear movement of the shifting-member rear end.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the fourth aspect of the present invention is the device set forth in any of first through third aspects, wherein the restraining means includes: a restraining pin mounted on one of either the bail arm or the rotor to allow it to advance and retreat toward the other; an urging member for urging the restraining pin toward the other; and a pressing portion provided on the other of the bail arm and the rotor, projecting toward the one of the bail arm and the rotor so as to press the restraining pin in its retracting direction. Under these conditions, the pressing portion is positioned past the restraining pin by the time the toggle spring mechanism goes beyond the dead point. In this case, the restraining pin pressing on the other of the components imparts resistance to the bail arm. Meanwhile, the resistance is enlarged by the pressing portion causing the restraining pin to retract, which restrains the bail arm from flipping back into the line-retrieving posture. Since the bail arm is restrained by the pressing portion and the restraining pin from flipping back, and since the pressing portion is positioned such that the restraint is released by the pressing portion passing the restraining pin by the time the fore end of the shifting member reaches the peak edge of the first inclined face of the switching portion, a toggle-spring mechanism having only small spring force can cause the return from the line-retrieving posture to the line-releasing posture. What is more, since the projecting pressing portion is caused to surpass a restraining pin while the restraining pin is urged by the urging means, a sound is generated as the restraining pin advances. Therefore, because the sound issues in the vicinity of the line-releasing posture, change in the bail arm""s posture may be confirmed without making a visual inspection.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the fifth aspect of the present invention is the device set forth in any of first through third aspects, wherein the restraining means includes: an elastic member provided on one of the bail arm and the rotor; a contact portion provided on the other of the bail arm and the rotor. The contact portion is in contact with the elastic member when the bail arm is in the line-releasing posture, and is parted away from the elastic member before the toggle-spring mechanism passes the dead point. In this case, by providing an elastic member and a contact portion to restrain swinging of the bail arm by resistance from contact between the two, the configuration of the restraining means is made simple.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the sixth aspect of the present invention is the device set forth in any of the first through fifth aspects, wherein the toggle-spring mechanism includes: a shaft member one end of which is interlocked with the bail arm; and a spring element being interlocked respectively on one end with the shaft member and the other end with the rotor for urging the shaft as guided by the rotor. The configuration of the toggle-spring mechanism is simplified in this case, which serves to lighten the weight of the toggle-spring mechanism.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the seventh aspect of the invention is the device set forth in any of the first through sixth aspects, wherein the dead point of the toggle-spring mechanism is deviated toward the line-releasing posture by establishing it in a range, assuming the bail arm""s pivoting sweep going from the line-retrieving posture to the line-releasing posture is 10, of from 8:2 to 9.5:0.5. In this case, the amount by which the switching portion protrudes for returning the bail arm from the line-releasing posture to the line-retrieving posture by rotation of the rotor in the line-retrieving direction may be lessened, which makes the bail arm flip back more readily.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the eighth aspect of the present invention is the device set forth in any of the first through seventh aspects, wherein the switching portion is formed in continuity with the peak portion of the first inclined face, and has a second inclined face whose projecting extent diminishes heading from the peak portion of the first inclined surface, toward the line-retrieving rotational direction downstream-end. In this case the first inclined face and the second inclined face form a hill shape having sloped sides. Since the shifting member will be guided smoothly by the second inclined face, forming the second inclined face makes damage to the shifting member unlikely to be caused in the event that the shifting member comes into contact with the switching portion when the rotor rotates in the line reel-out direction in the line-releasing posture.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the ninth aspect of the invention is the device set forth in any of the first through eighth aspects, further comprising a brake element, which is made of an elastic material and is provided on the front portion of the reel unit. The brake element is contactable with the rear end of the shifting member that is shifted into the second position. In this case, the rotor is braked by the projecting other end of the shifting member coming into contact with the brake element when the bail arm swings into the line-releasing posture and the shifting member shifts into the second, reel-unit-ward position. Therefore, the shifting member furnished for flipping the bail over has a dual use as a component for braking. Meanwhile, though the bail arm is swung into the line-retrieving posture after the rotor has been rotated into rotational phases respectively appropriate for casting and feathering, the rotor will not be prone to slipping out of its rotational phase.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the tenth aspect of the invention is the device set forth in the ninth aspect, wherein at least a part of the inclined faces of the switching portion protrudes more toward the rotor than does a portion of the brake element that comes into contact with the shifting member. This ensures that, even with the provision of the brake element, the shifting member abuts securely on the switching portion so that the bail arm may return from the line-retrieving to the line-releasing posture.
A spinning-reel bail-tripping device in accordance with the eleventh aspect of the invention is the device set forth in the ninth or the tenth aspect, wherein the brake element has a braking surface constituted by a circumferential face, at least one outer peripheral portion of which is flat. Thus, the projecting rear end of the shifting member that is shifted into the second position comes into contact with the braking surface. In this case, when the rear end of the shifting member comes into contact with the braking face, the shifting-member shifting direction (front-to-rear direction) and the brake-element compressing direction (diametric direction) are orthogonal. Therefore, even if the shifting member""s second position is out of kilter, the amount by which the brake element is compressed is not liable to fluctuate, whereby the braking force when in the line-releasing posture will not be prone to varying.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.